Whisper #10When the Volume Turns Up

My dear reader,

It’s been almost twelve years since the first time I stepped on a yoga mat, eight years since my first teacher training.

One thing has kept me coming back, again and again:

the post-practice feeling.

As a teacher, it’s one of the most beautiful things to witness — a room quiet, faces softer, people a little more themselves.

But not all days are bright.

Some days, after practice, I find myself feeling exposed.
Vulnerable.
Emotionally open in a way that’s hard to name.

Over the years, I’ve seen this happen to many students too.

Especially in teacher trainings, when practice is daily for weeks. Every other day, you notice it two, three people emotional, crying, feeling raw.

I know that place well.
I used to live in my head.
So when I found myself sensitive and emotionally open after practice, one question kept coming back:

What the fuck is wrong with me?

If you’ve spent time in your body, you’ve probably met moments like this too.

Sensitivity high.

Emotions moving without a clear reason.

As if someone turned the volume all the way up, and suddenly you can feel everything — everyone — all at once.

Not long ago, a student asked me the same thing:

Why do I feel so vulnerable? Why is everyone emotional?

Here’s what I’ve learned.

The problem isn’t sensitivity.
The problem is sensitivity without grounding.

Practices like yoga, breathwork, and yin ask the body to soften.

And when the body softens, things move.

Old tension.
Unfelt emotion.
Held breath.

All come to the surface.

So no nothing is wrong with you. Nothing was ever wrong with me.

This is part of being human.

What helped me most along the way was noticing when I slipped back into the head — analyzing every feeling, trying to understand it.
Or collapsing into the emotion and identifying with it.

I had to remind myself every time:

I’m not my thoughts. I’m not my feelings.

So when that vulnerable state shows up, I don’t fight it. And I don’t feed it with stories.

I acknowledge what’s there, and I come back to the body.

But most of the time, mental reminders aren’t enough.

When we’re grounded and clear, nothing touches us. When we’re emotional or afraid, we get exposed.

So when something feels overwhelming, I go physical.

I move a little.
I squat.
I shake my legs.
I do a sun salutation.

Anything that brings me back to earth.

It’s like setting a boundary the same way you would if a stranger stopped you in the street.

You stop. You stand your ground. You feel your feet.

Firm. Clear. No drama.

Energy respects clarity, not force.

And remember this, my dear reader:

You are your own space.

And when you know that in your body — not just in your head — everything changes.

Somatic practices don’t break you. They just turn the volume up for a bit, until you learn how to stay rooted while listening.

With love and stillness,
Saf

PS :If this resonated and you’re curious about how I approach yoga and awareness, you can read more here